Toshiba X305-Q725: Quad-Core Gaming Notebook
by Jarred Walton on March 11, 2009 1:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Laptops
Test Setup
Below is the test configuration for the Toshiba X305-Q725. We will compare its performance with other recently tested notebooks, specifically focusing on how it does against other gaming laptops.
| Toshiba X305-725 Test System | |
| Processor | Core 2 Quad Q9000 (Quad-Core 2.00GHz, 2x3MB Shared L2, 1066FSB) |
| Memory | 2x2048MB Hynix PC3-8500 @ DDR3-1066 7-7-7-20 (Hynix HMT125S6AFP8C-G7N0 AA) |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GTX 1024MB Driver version 179.48 (NVIDIA Reference) GPU/SP/RAM Clocks: 500/1250/1600 MHz (256-bit) |
| Display | 17.0" WSXGA+ (1680x1050) Glossy AU Optronics B154SW01 VB |
| Hard Drive | 1 x 64GB Toshiba SSD (THNS064GE4BBDC) 1 x Hitachi TravekStar 320GB 7200RPM (HTS723232L9A360) |
| Optical Drive | 8x DVDR SuperMulti (Pioneer DVRTD08L) |
| Battery | 6-Cell 54Whr |
| Operating System | Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit |
Because of the native resolution of the LCD, we will test at 1680x1050. That tends to be the sweet spot for performance on this sort of GPU configuration, since WUXGA generally requires more power than a single mobile GPU can provide at present - at least if you want to keep detail settings on high. Toshiba also omits some common resolutions (1280x800 and 1440x900), so if you want to run at a 16:10 aspect ratio other than the native resolution you'll need to hack in support (which can usually be done via the NV_MODES registry key).
Along with the performance evaluation of the X305-Q725, we've also included updated numbers for the Clevo D901C (Sager NP9262), which features 8800M GTX SLI GPUs and a desktop E6850 processor. (Note that more recent models ship with up to dual 9800M GTX GPUs, which can be up to 20% faster, and GTX 280M SLI should further improve on that by another 15-25%.) With NVIDIA now offering quarterly driver updates for most notebooks with discrete NVIDIA GPUs, the driver situation has at least improved substantially. General compatibility and performance is improved in many cases, and more games now have SLI profiles. There's still a chance that you'll run into problems with the latest games, but it's a rare occurrence and at worst we should now see driver fixes every three months.
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Dfere - Thursday, March 12, 2009 - link
A business power user needs some mobility. I use a laptop as my main business computer. It would be nice to have something to play games at an ok rate. But given the bugs, let alone the power issues, I wouldn't. I need some mobility and I need my data and system operational to make revenue.A plain gamer/laptop lover wouldn't because it isn't a top performer, and thats why they buy.
JimmiG - Thursday, March 12, 2009 - link
I used to travel a lot between point A and point B and wanted a good gaming system at both places. I was considering a gaming laptop for a while but ended up building myself a Shuttle SFF system instead. Fit perfectly in the backpack together with my other belongings, cost about 1/4th of a gaming laptop and offered 95% of the performance of a full tower system. I just used a cheap 19" CRT monitor at one place and the LCD at the other. Amazing how small and light that system was.Of course if you travel a lot between many different location, this kind of laptop might make sense. Just hook it up when you arrive at the hotel room, cabin etc., and you've got a full gaming setup. Of course, if you don't care about games, you'd be better served by a netbook or 13" laptop...
Enoc - Wednesday, March 11, 2009 - link
with the AMD/Ati 4850 and 4870 for mobile... why these companies still use the renamed 9400/9500/9600/9800gt/gtx...? and what it worse some people think the GTX 280M is the same as the deskstop counterpart but is really a 9800GTX...
AMD has a good oportunity if more OEM embrace the 4850/4870 for the enthusiast notebook segment like MSI has done and if they introduce low power(HE) quads and triple cores for this segment that would be a nice move...
with $1500+- you could build something better with a compal/saeger barebone...
JarredWalton - Thursday, March 12, 2009 - link
Sager doesn't make barebones, I don't think; they use Clevo offerings. But yes, you can put together a better custom system I think. Pricing might not be much better, though.Memph - Wednesday, March 11, 2009 - link
I'v had similar expiriences with my qosmio. The problems in the old drivers. have to uninstall them (twice) from the safe mode. and then install the newest nvidia drivers. Mine used to lock up randomly. Now everything works perfectly.jabber - Wednesday, March 11, 2009 - link
I've had several laptops over the years. Best fix I've found for stability is to blitz the manufacturers build asap and slap on a fresh build with the latest OS. Go to the manufacturers site for drivers that you cant find elsewhere as they will generally be two or three versions on from the ones the laptop came with.There will also be a new BIOS update usually.
Has always got rid of the quirks for me.
JarredWalton - Wednesday, March 11, 2009 - link
FWIW, the instability issue always cropped up with a graphics application - game - running. (Well, there was the SysInfo issue with 3D/PCMark Vantage, but that's clearly a driver problem that they addressed.) I did run Folding@Home SMP on the laptop non-stop for several days with no crashes caused there. I did not test the GPU folding client, though, which would have been interesting to check now that I think about it.Personally, I do not run Folding@Home on laptops (anymore); it just places a huge load on the system and is almost asking your laptop to die a premature death. For that matter, I've stopped running it on most of my desktops as well - power costs for all the running computers were too much, so it's much cheaper to just leave them off when they're not in use.
Wolfpup - Wednesday, March 11, 2009 - link
Be funny to people? My notebook is my main system...I mean why not?Anyway, I'm so glad Anandtech is continuing to cover power laptops!
I hate how gaudy this is, but I'd certainly consider it if not for the lack of Blu Ray and LED backlight. I actually prefer the single high end GPU route...
Plus obviously the instability is disturbing. Must be a hardware defect somewhere, or else a bad driver. I've been Folding non stop on the CPU and GPU of my (much lower end) Asus n80 with a Penryn/Geforce 9650GT and it hasn't crashed once.
piroroadkill - Wednesday, March 11, 2009 - link
17" is too large for a notebook in my opinion, even a gaming one. 15.4" widescreen @ 1680x1050 would be perfect. Also how did they manage to make this thing so goddamn thick?!Blahman - Friday, March 13, 2009 - link
Check this one out, matches your requirements exactly: http://www.msimobile.com/level3_productpage.aspx?c...">http://www.msimobile.com/level3_productpage.aspx?c...